2015-12-23 Wed

Jayprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP or Lok Narayan was posthumously awarded India’s highest civilian award “Bharat Ratna” today on 23rd December, 1999.

Jayaprakash Narayan received the “Bharat Ratna” in recognition of his social service. He was also awarded the “Magsaysay award” for Public service in 1965.

He was an Indian independence activist, social reformer and political leader, remembered especially for leading the mid-1970s opposition against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, for whose overthrow he called a “total revolution”.

The Patna airport is also named after him. The largest hospital run by the Delhi government, formerly called as the “Irwin Hospital” is also named as “Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Hospital” in his honour. A park situated on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, in New Delhi, just opposite to Maulana Azad Medical College (Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Hospital) is also named after Jayprakash Narayan.On August 1, 2015; the Chhapra-Delhi-Chhapra Weekly Express was renamed as "Loknayak Express" in his honor.

India Post has issued two commemorative stamps and one First day cover to honour Jayprakash Narayan. These stamps are of denominations 0.35 Paise issued in 1980 and denomination INR 4 issued in 2001. The first day cover, designed by M. Narayan, has a line drawing of Jayaprakash Narayan.